Preparing Your Home for Autumn Checklist
Before the colder weather hits, get your home ready for the coming cold weather season and save money:
- Walk all around your home and property checking for anything that needs repair before inclement weather arrives,
- Install new filters at furnace and any other indoor air quality device,
- Inspect your roof and schedule repairs if required,
- Clean your gutters and downspouts throughout the fall and winter,
- Look up the chimney(s) for blockages, check that the damper is working and schedule it for servicing and cleaning,
- Disconnect garden hoses and drain water from the hose bib. If you do not have a frost-proof hose bib, install a foam insulated faucet cover or turn the shut-off valve to off inside your home,
- Stow your mower and other gardening equipment, drain fuel, and clean yard tools to prevent rust,
- Check your trees for any weak areas that could cause damage during a fall or winter storm,
- Rake or mow over leaves before winter comes to ensure a healthy lawn when spring arrives,
- Check your basement and crawl spaces for flooding after the first long rainfall,
- Make sure your attic and crawl spaces have adequate insulation,
- Clean out the bathroom fan/filter,
- Inspect your furnace to ensure that it achieves desired efficiency; schedule the expert service,
- Inspect and service your fireplace(s),
- Check that your thermostat works properly,
- Repair any window cracks or holes in weather stripping or caulking. If the gap is bigger than the width of a nickel, reapply exterior caulking,
- Continuously check your air vents and dryer vent to make sure they are not blocked,
- Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, replace batteries as appropriate,
- Adjust your indoor humidity controls,
- Make a fire escape plan for your house and take time to review it with all family members,
- Make sure you have at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of the house and in the garage,
- Make sure you have new batteries in all flashlights, and place them where they can be easily found around the house,
- Stock up on supplies for fall and winter, including snow shovels, ice melt products, ice scrapers and seasoned firewood,
- Call a maintenance expert to support your efforts
by Carla Berezowski
at Alberta Indoor Comfort
